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Work Effectively With Your Boss

Knowing your type of boss can help you navigate your working relationship.

“The Hands-Off Boss:

They take pride in giving their workers freedom and flexibility – maybe a little too much so. They won’t interfere with your projects, but at the same time, he may give you limited direction with which to start. Know that communication is going to be key; if you need help, you’re going to have to ask for it. Otherwise, you’ll be left on your own to deal with it.

The Power Tripper:

They may be desperate to climb the corporate ladder and only focused on how work makes them appear in the eyes of their superiors. They may be narcissistic. They may also just like the feeling of power. In any case, you can deal with it by making compromises where you can, and communicating openly about how this style affects your working ability.

The Micromanager:

They like to dig into the details, stepping on your toes on occasion by telling you what to do and how to do it. It’s best to keep your distance for the tasks you care most about, give feedback, and try to build more trust – most micromanagers are born out of internal anxieties!

The Buddy:

They want to be your friend in the workplace. They’ll always greet you with a cheery disposition, be soft when it comes to feedback or advice, and won’t set strict deadlines. You’ll get more flexibility in your tasks, but you’ll have less constructive criticism on which to build. You will have to ask for feedback directly and build up the discipline to set limits and goals for yourself.

The Shiny Object Chaser:

They lack focus, or at least consistency in focus. They’ll start the week demanding one set of goals, but change their mind by mid-week. They have a lot of energy, but priorities shift far too often for any reasonable person to keep up. The best approach here is to communicate frequently about priorities, hedge your bets by only investing fully when you’re sure a priority will stick, and not taking decisions personally.

The Apathetic Boss:

They share some similarities with the hands-off boss, but they are somewhat more destructive in their processes. They truly don’t care about their job. If you’re the type who thrives on feedback, this will be difficult, so the best approach is to gather feedback from peers.”